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Week Four in Review: Europe

Only two Europeans made it through one round of 12.4. The deceptively difficult AMRAP opened the top of the Leaderboard to new names.

Over the last few days, competitors from across the continent tried to make their way through Karen (150 wall ball shots), 90 double-unders and 30 muscle-ups for time in just 12 minutes.

One round was an insurmountable challenge for all but two European competitors. This deceptively difficult AMRAP also managed to push the Fittest Woman on Earth, Annie Thorisdottir, from 1st place.

We saw some new names rise to the top. Let’s dig into the results of 12.4.

MEN

Who made it through one full round?

Two Swedish competitors, Philip Bengtsson and Numi Katrinarson, made it through the 150 wall balls, 90 double-unders, and 30 muscle-ups before completing 3 wall balls at the sound of the clock.

Following behind them—just one muscle-up shy of one complete round—was Tom Bold of Earlsfield, England. Bold is new to the top of the Europe Leaderboard. With his impressive finish on 12.4 he has made it to 55th place in Europe and is in the running for the 2012 Europe Regional.

It’s rare a rookie competitor can claim 1st place in Europe these days. With the reigning Fittest Woman on Earth Annie Thorisdottir taking 1st on 12.2 and 12.3 in Europe and holding 5th in the worldwide standings after 12.4—it was surprising to see two new names at the top of the Leaderboard this week.

Thuridur Erla Helgadottir, a 20-year-old competitor from CrossFit Sport in Kopavogur, Iceland, and 27-year-old Hjordis Oskarsdottir from CrossFit BC Island in Reykjavik, Iceland, took 1st in Europe on 12.4 with 20 muscle-ups into their first round.

These two fit Icelandic women are holding 3rd and 5th, respectively, in the overall standings and are proving to be among the women to watch at the 2012 Europe Regional. Their 260-rep performances on 12.4 surpassed Thorisdottir by four muscle-ups—a significant margin—and earned them a 12th place finish in the worldwide standings.

European CrossFitters, we’ve got several Masters competitors proving to be among the fittest on Earth.

Karl Dyall would have taken 4th place in the Europe Men’s Individual Leaderboard on 12.4 with his incredible performance of 268 reps (28 muscle-ups into his first round). Don’t worry, Stefano Migliorini and Mattia Balella, we’re keeping him in Masters. Dyall took 1st on 12.4 in the 45-49 Masters Division and holds 4th overall.

Maurizio Maddaloni (45-49), Neil Foley (50-54), John Lugg (55-59), Hilmar Hardarson (55-59) remain in the running for the 2012 CrossFit Games Masters Competition by holding the Top 20. Maz Glover (45-49), now in 26th place, will have to turn in a solid performance on 12.5 to make it to the Home Depot Center.

TEAMS

Iceland and Sweden have locked off the top five spots in the overall standings after 12.4. We hear CrossFit workouts get easier when you’re above a certain latitude. It’s like the Bermuda Triangle, but made for CrossFitters to get lost in.

CrossFit Nordic 1 took 1st on 12.4 with the help of top competitors Jenny Jacobsen and Numi Katrinarson.